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Sunday, January 16, 2011

Birch bark canoe restoration begins in Falmouth - BBC News

Rating: ***As an enjoyer of both history and canoeing, I found this article about an extremely old canoe very intriguing.A Native American canoe was found of the property of the Enys family by one for the descendent of the Enys family, Wendy Fowler. She called the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall to have the boat examined. The museum believed that the canoe came to be there when Lt. John Enys finished fighting in the American war for independence in 1776, making the canoe about 250 years old. The wood of the canoe is being cleaned and conserved in Falmouth, then returned to the museum to be placed in a public display.While this article does not offer tips on outdoor survival or mistakes to learn from, it illustrates a more metaphorical importance. The interest surrounding this article shows that the canoe remains a recognized and important symbol in Canadian culture. We in Canada still view it as part of our heritage, as it was the main mode of transport and survival for many past Canadians. It is important that such artefacts be preserved, so that future Canadians can share the understanding and learn to love the canoe as one of the most significant symbols of Canadian heritage. This article gives me a greater respect for canoeing as a traditional Canadian custom.The canoe is certainly something that Canada can be proud of.• BBC News. "Birch bark canoe restoration begins in Falmouth." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2011. .